2010 NHL Draft Analysis: Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins got an absolute gift this season when they traded disgruntled winger Phil Kessel to the Toronto Maple Leafs for this year’s first and second round picks. These picks turned out to be the second and thirty second overall picks in the 2010 NHL Draft.

With such a deep draft the Bruins had a chance to rebuild the franchise without even going in a slump.

Having the second pick meant that the Bruins had the pleasure of taking either Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin. With both promising to be superstar caliber players, the Bruins got an early Christmas gift at the second pick.

That being said, let’s see who the Bruins drafted this year.

With the second overall pick the Bruins were thrilled to select Tyler Seguin from the Plymouth Whalers. Seguin likely has the most potential of any player in the draft, and could very easily turn out to be the best player of the 2010 draft class.

Seguin recorded 106 points in just his second season in the league, and was named the OHL MVP, and the CHL's Top Prospect.

Tyler Seguin is an extremely creative centre, he doesn't have that physical game that Hall brings, but his hands and speed allow him to glide past defenders and score highlight reel goals.

The Bruins will look to make room for Seguin up front, and we could see him centering the second line next season.

With the Leafs second round pick the Bruins went way off the board selecting the 82nd ranked North American skater in Jared Knight. Knight does not get all the credit he deserves as his compete level is through the roof.

While putting up decent numbers (63GP, 36G, 21A), his offensive potential isn't all that great, and considering he is a centre on a team that is loaded with centres and centre prospects it is really in doubt whether he will ever crack the lineup.

However with a strong defensive game and a willingness to move over to a wing he may make a solid third or fourth line checker.

With their second round pick the Bruins may have gotten the biggest steal of the draft. Pictured above, Ryan Spooner provides loads of offensive potential. Spooner would have likely been a first round pick if he hadn't been sidelined for the final third of the season.

Spooner is quick, creative, and has a good shot, and an even better pass. The most endearing quality the Kanata native brings is that he makes the players around him better.

The only side of his game that lacks is the defensive side. Spooner is weak in his own end, but a new coaching staff in Peterborough may help him develop this side of his game better than before.

Without a third round selection the Bruins waited until the fourth round to select their first player that is not a centre, left winger Craig Cunningham from the Vancouver Giants.

Cunningham is another high offence pick. He finished sixth overall in scoring in the WHL in the regular season, and third overall in the playoffs (playing six fewer games than first and second). Cunningham was named to the WHL's first all-star team, and won a Memorial Cup in his first year in the league.

Cunningham was passed up in his first draft year, but with the impressive numbers he is starting to put up, there is no way he would have slipped through the cracks this time.

With the 135th overall selection the Bruins took another left winger in Justin Florek. Florek, another player passed up in his initial draft year, brings a more defensive mind to the game.

At 6'4" 200lbs he has decent size, but he doesn't quite put up the numbers that other players the Bruins have selected put up. Florek would project to be a third or fourth line checker.

The Northern Michigan University star will play out his college career, and who knows he may surprise us all.

The Bruins finally set aside the offence with their sixth round selection, goaltender Zane Gothberg of the Minnesota high school system. Gothberg was named the State of Minnesota’s best senior level goaltender, and has committed to play in the United States Hockey League next season.

Al Jensen of Central Scouting said of Gothberg’s game: “This kid is very good. He impressed me the first time I saw him. He's very controlled...I like his quickness and net coverage. I like his strength. He's smart and reads the play well.” Gothberg may be a diamond in the rough for the Bruins.

The Bruins finally went the defensive route with their final two picks in the last round. Picking up Maxim Chudinov out of Russia and Zach Trotman from the NCAA. Chudinov provides little offensive potential, but brings a solid knowledge and skill set from the defensive side. Chudinov plays in the KHL and could very well want to stay over in Russia.

Zach Trotman plays a similar style game as Chudinov, but is a little bigger and brings a little more of an edge to his game. Trotman is a big body on the back end, but his offensive game lacks. Trotman should look to work on this aspect of the game if he wants a real shot with Boston.

Grades:

Offence: A+, Seguin, Spooner and Cunningham all have tremendous offensive potential. Seguin should make a big impact on the team next season. Cunningham will likely make an impact in the AHL, and Spooner, with more development, could be a star as well.

Defence: C, The Bruins seem to be fairly content with the defensive core, and prospects they have now, because they made no significant improvements in this department.

Goaltending: B, Gothberg seems to have potential, but at this point his only success comes from the high school level, and it is yet to be seen if he can put up solid numbers at a high level of competition.

Overall: A, The players the Bruins got up front compensates any weaknesses in other departments. The Bruins could walk out of this draft with at least three very solid NHL players, and that is a good draft in my books.